What Drugs Are Used for Osteochondrosis Treatment

Osteochondrosis is a spine disorder, which is characterized by the degenerative-dystrophic affection of the intervertebral cartilage, and then the vertebral tissues.

The osteochondrosis progression occurs due to the person’s upright posture, his nutrition specificity and blood supply to the spine structures (via the diffusion of the nearby tissues due to the reduction of blood vessels of the intervertebral discs in adults). There are many disease causes, and, as often happens, it is impossible to call the main one. All these negative factors are superimposed, and it results in the pathology.

Among the most frequent causes are:

• mechanical injury of the back (spine);
• athletic overexertion, hard work;
• nervous exhaustion, stress;
• metabolic disorder, toxic exposure;
• frequent stay in places with increased vibration level;
• inherited predisposition;
• sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work;
• postural disorder at an early age;
• excess weight, obesity;
• platypodia;
• wearing uncomfortable shoes (tight ones, heels);
• sleeping on an uncomfortable bed – mattress, pillow;
• frequent body dehydration;
• poor nutrition, hypovitaminosis;
• smoking;
• pregnancy.

Due to the age-related changes, various trophic disorders can affect the intervertebral discs. As a result, they are prematurely wearing out and flattening. The patients start suffering from inflammatory processes. As a result, there occurs the spine dysfunction, severe pain, limitation of motion activity, and disability.

It should be noted that in the English medical literature the term “osteochondrosis” refers to the completely different group of orthopedic diseases, which in the Russian language are called osteochondropathies.

Osteochondropathy is a group of cyclical, long-lasting ongoing diseases, which are based on bone tissue nutritional disorder with its subsequent aseptic necrosis. Then, the necrotic bone areas are resorbed and replaced by the newly formed bone tissue. This disease is more common in childhood and adolescence, thus, it has a benign clinical progression and a favorable outcome. The etiology of osteochondropathies is unknown: it is considered that injuries, infections, hereditary genetic predisposition, affected nervous trophism and metabolism can be the disease causes.

Drugs for osteochondrosis treatment

Osteochondrosis treatment is an integrated and rather long process. However, in case of correct drugs selection and compliance with all medical recommendations, after a few months it becomes possible not only to stop the disease progression, but also to start the process of damaged tissue restoration.

Although the osteochondrosis treatment is a complex of medical procedures (physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises, massage, diet, etc.), drug therapy plays the leading role in it. The medical treatment assumes taking pain-relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs for optimization of the cartilaginous tissue metabolic processes, as well as drugs for blood circulation improvement of the musculoskeletal system and relieving spasm in the spinal area. Thus, there can be used the following drugs:

• pain-relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Nise, etc.), pills are taken in case of moderate pain, injections – significant pain level; severe pain is relieved by procaine blocks;
• agents for relieving spasm of the vertebral region muscles (Mydocalm, Milostan);
• drugs improving cartilage tissue metabolism, suspending vertebral discs destruction. Among them: drugs replenishing glucosamine deficiency (Viatril, Arthryl), restoring cartilage (Chondroxide, Structum), drugs firming cartilage tissue (Hyaluronan, Ostenil).

Drugs for metabolism and bone tissue regenerative processes in osteochondropathies

Since the pathology progress can be caused by the mineral metabolism disorder (especially calcium and phosphorus), the main task of disease control is its normalization and regeneration of the bone tissue affected areas. The following groups of drugs are defined as regulators of calcium-phosphorus metabolism:

• analogues of parathyroid hormones inhibiting the activity of osteolysis cells (osteoclasts) and cells stimulating the bone tissue growth (osteoblasts): Calcitonin, Teriparatide;
• bisphosphonates blocking osteoclasts and preventing bone resorption: KSICREAM, Aclasta, Etidronate, Zoledronate.

Special attention should be paid to the last group of drugs that have proven their high-potency in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. Agents with bisphosphonates block the activity of osteoclasts, triggering the mechanism of their self-destruction, thus, contributing to the bone structure restoration.

Pharmacologic agents with bisphosphonates can be taken in form of pill, injections or creams and gels. Each form has its own advantages. The significant advantage of ointments and creams is the absence of a number of side effects occurring in case of taking pills or injections (nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, adverse effect on CNS and some internal organs). In addition, creams and gels with bisphosphonates can be used on a long time basis, without any restrictions, what is required for the treatment of chronic diseases.

Thus, the effectiveness of KSICREAM with Ca-regulating complex (bisphosphonates) in case of dystrophic-degenerative and necrotic bone changes is due to the metabolic process normalization of bone and cartilage tissues and restoration of their structures. In addition, the balanced drug formula eliminates pain and relieves muscle tension, while the complex of natural ingredients (cocoa butter, olive oil) moisturizes and softens your skin, making it resilient and elastic.